The Insider June 2026

THE INSIDER june 2026

How to Disappear Completely

Interview with Uldis Pabērzis

Skinny Jeans, Smash or Pass

PARTNERS GENERAL PARTNER

PLATINUM PARTNER

GOLD PARTNERS

Special thanks to Uldis Pabērzis, Raimonds Balodis, Anna Ģērmane, Elīna Bībere, Rūta Švarcbaha, Marta Ciema, Je Joue & IFund creative teams and all the gossipers ;) and the beloved team of Insider.

In case of any queries, contact insider@sseriga.edu or zkalnina@sseriga.edu (Editor-in-Chief)

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Hello, goodbye.

Just like Charli XCX, we’re saying hello and goodbye at the same time: hello to June, to summer, and to one last Insider before everyone disappears into internships, beach days, and questionable life choices.

But we’re also saying goodbye — to the school year, and especially to our Y3s, who are getting dangerously close to becoming alumni. Exams are near, deadlines are pretending to be manageable, and summer is already waiting impatiently outside.

This time, our theme is TOO HOT TO HANDLE — inspired by the famous Netflix show, summer heat, and that dangerous mix of flirting, chaos, and questionable decisions. With the sun out, the tension high, and everyone acting just a little too confident, this issue is all about the moments that make summer feel impossible to resist.

THE EDITORIAL

June

In this issue, we’re keeping the summer mood alive: look back at the chaos and sunshine of Summer Symposium ’26, read an interview with SSE Riga alumni Uldis Pabērzis, and discover the culture events JeJoue has gathered for your whole summer calendar.

But it wouldn’t be very Insider-like to stop there. This time, our dear associate Anna takes us into the unexpectedly addictive world of Letterboxd, where film taste becomes personality, top fours become status symbols, and being “different” starts to look suspiciously familiar. Meanwhile, Paula turns the Met Gala into an economics lesson on scarcity, status, and why we all keep watching parties we were never invited to, while Marta explores the biology of heartbreak and reminds us that love has always been a matter of life, death, and everything in between.

As usual, you’ll find entertaining memes, gossip, and horoscopes — this time revealing your ultimate summer essential.

And for the crossword, we switched things up this time: instead of solving clues, you’ll have to guess who said what.

As the days get longer, deadlines get closer, and summer starts calling a little louder, let this issue be your excuse to slow down before the final rush.

Read, laugh, gossip, and soak up the last moments before the school year melts into summer. xoxo, The Insider

THE INSIDER

18

INTERVIEW WITH ULDIS PABĒRZIS

From fintech to festival stages, this SSE Riga alumni has built a career far beyond the traditional business-school path. In this interview, he reflects on entrepreneurship, Summer Sound, and why the best lessons often come from trying, failing, and building things your own way.

TO DISAPPEAR 22 HOW COMPLETELY

A heartfelt farewell to SSE Riga, this piece captures the full range of emotions that comes with leaving the school behind. It is a love letter to three imperfect, intense, and unforgettable years that shaped not only studies, but friendships, identity, and the way life itself is understood.

28

SKINNY JEANS

A cheeky deep dive into the rise, fall, and questionable market value of skinny jeans. In this article, our dear associate treats campus fashion like financial research and asks the real question: were skinny jeans ever fairly valued, or did they simply hold too much emotional equity to be written off?

CONT 6

ASSOCIATES OF THE MONTH

14 IFUND

7

CULTURAL TIMES

20 TILL DEATH DO US PART

10 ALUMNI

26 BLACK DUCKY

12 MAXIMA

34 HOW TO DEFINE A MONTH

50 HOT GIRL SUMMER

32 SS'26 LOOKBACK

46

Once again, Summer Symposium brought teams together for an unforgettable threeday getaway filled with sports, competitive spirit and a lot of sun-burned noses :) Don’t miss the chance to relive the memories for a little longer!

They’re back: the nominations everyone waited for, argued about, and secretly hoped to see themselves in. Some titles were defended, some thrones were stolen, and yes - you voted for all of it.

NOMINATIONS

A summer reflection on Sexyy Red, confidence, and the exhausting performance of being “unbothered.” Beneath the parties, situationships, and digital flirting, this article asks whether real freedom is being desired by many or being brave enough to be truly known by one.

TENTS 38

YOU'RE NOT INVITED

54 CROSSWORD

40

ARE YOUR LETTERS BOXD?

56 MEMES

42

AM I A SHEEP?

58 GOSSIPS

52

POEMS

60 HOROSCOPES 62 THE TEAM

Katleen has been very active and passionate about her work. She is very reliable, and took her role as an associate very seriously (I think she now knows everything there is to know about qualtrics).

Vlada, as always, is ready to help no matter what time of day. Tremendous help when we need a poster for something and helps keep up the visuals for EduCom.

Sanija was a huge help with the yearbook. She was involved throughout the whole process, helping with organization, design, and whatever else needed to get done along the way.

THE INSIDER | 6

INFORMATION COMMITTEE

Sanija Melbārde

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Vlada Dzene

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Kätleen Põllu

IT COMMITTEE IT COMMITTEE BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Sees the vision

EVENT COMMITTEE

Anastasia Kikalia

SS26 would not have been as great without our dear Nastja.

Whatever you need, starting from a little task, moving up to anything that is very sudden, difficult and requires exceptional decision making - you can always count on her.

Amazing IT Committee member.

Photographer, taxi, psychologist. Beautifulz

Elizabete Ose

BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Dependable right hand

EVENT COMMITTEE

Anna Kalverša

Anastasia Kikalia

Elza Krustiņa

INFORMATION COMMITTEE

A newcomer to the Alumni committee, Anastasia has showed great initiative with designing the Alumni opening.

ALUMNI COMMITTEE

Anastasia Kikalia

MARKETING COMMITTEE

Artis is the one behind upkeeping the Alumni website, IT warrior of the Alumni committee.

Thanks Artis, for his hard and relentless work!!!

ALUMNI COMMITTEE

Artis Lipša

SPORTS COMMITTEE

Associates of the Month

Photographer of CS2 tournament.

Beautiful, amazing, beautiful

Amanda Graudiņa Well it wouldnt be an associate of the month page without Amanda, so here it is again... Seems lika Amanda always has the energy to ba proactive in improving the lives of SSE Riga studens. Wheather through findind sponsors or organising free padel practice for everyone.

Edvards Reksnis Mr. Reksnis has become a crucial lifeline for the completion of all tasks associated with the partner companies. Truely a person that you can count always on for excelent execution.

Madara Grinfelde Madara was really helpful during the yearbook planning process. She helped create forms, put together the results, and was always willing to lend a hand during the design process whenever needed.

Paula Deksne & Patrīcija Linde

Happy pride month

JeJoue

Cultural Times Hello our dear cherished reader! The thermometer is rising, studies are over and your toes are out!

It is an excellent idea to spend some time outside among other people at events that unite the likeminded - all while improving the cultural part of yourself. You only live once… .

Music

VAAKS/VAKUUMS

Slokas iela 15 17 June, 20:00

An experimental music project where didgeridoo merges with electronic music, creating an atmospheric journey from cosmic ambient to active techno rhythm. This will be an unusually hypnotic experience.

FREE ENTRY

BODYBEAT

Kaņepes Kultūras Centrs 20 June, 23:00

KNAB & SKD return to KKC with selections of Leftfield Techno, Electro, EBM, New Beat & their mutant children with Industrial sauce.

The Prodigy in Riga

WonderSala 27 June

One of the most iconic electronic bands in the world is back with a fullintensity live show – massive beats, raw energy and unstoppable “attack mode.”

This is not just a concert - it’s a true rave experience that has to be felt live.

Grab your tickets while you can!

DEBOSCH EXPRESS: the last Soviet electrotrain

Riga Central Station 4 July, 18:00

A party taking place in a train, at Riga Central Station. What could be more fascinating?

Golden evening of Viennese music

Dzintari Concert Hall 11 July, 19:00

One of the most magnificent concerts of this summer will be performed at the Dzintari Concert Hall - the concert program dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the great Austrian composer Johann Strauss “Strauss 200. A Golden Evening of Viennese Music” - a special cultural event to which every classical music lover is invited.

Ainars Mielavs

K.K. fon Stricka villa 15 July, 19:00

With a concert in the garden of the von Strick villa on July 15, Ainars Mielavs announces another of his concert lineups, a revolutionary rock trio - voice, electric guitar, and drums.

Ainars Mielavs - one of the most prominent Latvian musicians - is a seven-time winner of the “Golden Microphone” award, and his songs have become an integral part of Latvian music.

39th International Organ Music Festival RĪGAS DOMS 2026, Aivars Kalējs

Riga Cathedral July 15, 19:00

Lauris Reiniks & Labvēlīgais Tips

Kimmel Kvartāls 17 July, 18:00

We know that “Sirds Sadeg Neparasti” and that Omnibuss will be going out to run over tomatoes again this year, so get ready for a serious ball with Lauris Reiniks and Labvēlīgais Tips.

Keitija Bārbale & Tante Gaida

K.K. fon Stricka villa 22 July, 19:00

Both “Kaetija Bārbale un 4 radiatori” and the band “Tante Gaida” will perform in the garden of fon Stricka villa - each with their own unique style and sound, creating a special atmosphere.

P.S. K.K. fon Stricka villa is hosting summer concerts every Wednesday, so make sure to check out what else they have in store for you.

Festivals HipHop Festival STRAUME ‘26

ZEIT quarter in Ligatne 3-4 July

Straume’26 - the fifth anniversary celebration of the only hip-hop festival in Latvia, in Līgatne, in the Zeit creative quarter!

LaDiDaDi Garden Party

Mezaparks Green Theatre 7-8 July

Two summer evenings, where excellent indie and alternative pop music, delicious food and exquisite drinks come together.

A place to meet friends, forget everyday life and simply… be

Conversation Festival LAMPA

Cēsis city 10-11 July

The LAMPA Conversation Festival is an environment and impetus for constant self-improvement in an ever-changing world. The content of the festival will not leave anyone indifferent – it is two days full of joy of life, in which you can sharpen your mind, expand your horizons and challenge your ideas. It is an inspiring and exciting platform for everyone who has something to say and who wants to learn and talk about issues important to Latvia, Europe and the world.

PHASE Festival ‘26

Zentenes Muiža 10-11 July

You can spend the day and night in the alternative and popular phase, as well as the crazy heavy and urban phase. To make the festival even more fulfilling, the secret ingredient is paintings, poetry, performances and an unwavering interest in different types of art!

THE INSIDER | 7

JeJoue

Art Obsession: 50 years of Italian ceramics

Museum of Decorative Arts and Design Until 23 August

The exhibition highlights Italy's unique contribution to one of the most versatile visual art media - ceramics, where sculpture, design and materiality intertwine. Bringing together works by 50 authors, the exhibition provides an insight into the development of the industry over half a century - from pioneers to the brightest masters of the 21st century.

Riga Last Thursdays

Art galleries in Riga 25 June, 30 July, 27 August

Gallery Evening takes place on the last Thursday of every month, during which you can explore various contemporary art galleries for free, meet artists and creative personalities, visit well-known and discover new places, participate in creative workshops, curatorial tours and much more.

Exhibition “MAMA: Mother Nature”

Art center Zuzeum Until 30 August

The exhibition brings together artists from different countries and presents works that focus on ecological change, collective cultural memory, and the fragile balance between human activity and the planet's life systems.

"MAMA: Mother Nature" is intended as a global art platform that provides an opportunity to reflect on the interconnectedness of culture, the environment, and collective responsibility.

Fiction writing course This summer, a creative writing course for English speakers will take place, led by the American writer William Burton McCormick, who lives in Latvia.

The course will include exercises to improve prose writing style, discussions about the elements of fiction writing, and guidance on the path to publishing novels, short stories, and creative nonfiction.

Participants will both write fiction and discuss their work with the instructor and fellow students. Previous writing experience is not required, but fluent English proficiency is necessary.

More info at: ej.uz/writing-course

Cinema Splendid Garden Outdoor Cinema This summer, the Splendid Palace cinema garden is offering the open-air cinema "Splendid Garden" for the 5th time, where viewers are invited to experience both French cinema classics and contemporary works in a summery atmosphere.

Taking place all throughout the summer, see their website for more info.

Kino Bize Classic Film Nights Every month, Kino Bize shows classic cinema, showcasing films that are important in the history of cinema, have not been shown on local screens or have not been seen for a long time, and stand out with a special message and innovative artistic performance. The screenings are complemented by talks, discussions and introductory lectures.

Check their repertoire for updates.

Shrek (2001)

ForumCinemas 30 June, 17:30

The classic returns to the big screen!

GoodFellas (1990)

ForumCinemas 27 June, 5 July, 14 July

"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." Director Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning gangster drama returns to the BIG screen to give a new generation of viewers the opportunity to experience one of the greatest cinematic crime sagas of all time.

THE INSIDER | 8

Sports Latvia – Georgia. Friendly match.

Xiaomi Arena, Riga June 28, 19:00

A chance to catch Latvia’s basketball stars in action, feel the home-crowd energy, and get a first taste of the team before the pressure of qualification begins.

Latvia – Austria. FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 qualification

Xiaomi Arena, Riga July 6, 19:30

A high-stakes national team game where Latvia fights for a place in the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Great choice for a loud arena atmosphere.

CEV U18 Volleyball European Championship 2026 | Women

Riga, Latvia / Šiauliai, Lithuania July 1–12

Riga becomes a stage for Europe’s next generation of volleyball talent a chance to watch future stars before they become household names.

2026 DeWALT FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga

Biķernieki Speedway Track, Riga August 8, 19:00

Riga turns into a speedway battleground as world-class riders chase victory on the Biķernieki track in one of the summer’s fastest, loudest, and most adrenaline-filled events.

Kuldīgas 21. Pusmaratons 2026

Kuldīga August 8, 10:00

A popular running event in one of Latvia’s most beautiful towns, combining sport with a strong summer festival atmosphere.

FIFA WORLD CUP watch parties in PIGA!!

June 11 - July 19

Agenskalns Market As this has become one of the top spots for people to socialize and enjoy their free time, we think it deserves its own section, so here are the top events in the oldest market on the left bank of Daugava you shouldn’t miss:

Flea Markets Throughout the whole summer, every Saturday and Sunday, Agenskalns market will host Flea Markets, where local vendors (barigas) gather and sell a wide array of exciting bits and pieces.

TURBO Vintage On the last Sunday of every month, a TURBO vintage sale of clothing, accessories, and interesting items takes place on the 2nd floor of the pavilion and in the courtyard during the warm season from 10:00 to 17:00.

Latvian Regional Market "Zirgagalva" On July 12, local producers from different regions of Latvia will meet at the Latvian regional market “Zirgagalva”. A special Gastro experience will be new potatoes in various cooking variations - with dill, herring and cottage cheese or chanterelle sauce.

THE INSIDER | 9

P O S S S P A A A S C CAST ASTS PODC PODC S A C D S S C D O T T D O P GET S S O TO KNOW OUR ALUMNI BETTER P A A P S C C T S T D D S T S O O A P P C STS STS ODCAS PODCA S A A P S A C C T S D D S T O PO CAS DCA PODC PO OD by Alumni PodcastsPhosted THE INSIDER | 10

Valters Vestmanis ‘16 is a host to a rather SSE Riga curriculum relevant topic – personal finance and investments. While being a partner at Index Masterclass, a new episode of the Saturdays morning coffee podcast comes out every (you would never guess it) Saturday morning. Even though guests come from a diverse range of backgrounds, from finance to filmmakers, the thing that binds them is persistence and desire to grow.

Armands Broks ‘13 hosts a podcast on Latvia's development direction – Virziens. As primarily Armands is the chairman of council of TWINO, he devotes his time to quite an intriguing topic of growth and development in Latvia. His guests are experienced professionals on a national level – giant company CEOs, politicians, entrepreneurs and, of course, other graduates of SSE Riga.

S T S Alumni as guests TS S T S

THE INSIDER | 11

Top business podcast in Latvia

Jānis Vība ‘06 CEO of Virši-A

Artūts Čirjevskis ‘09 CEO of Food Union

Svens Dinsdorfs ‘98 CEO of ELKO group

Toms Jurjevs ‘12 Founder at Sun Finance

Jānis Ošlejs ‘04 CEO at Primekss

And many, many more...

MAUCAM is a Latvian car podcast hosting guests who enjoy owning and driving cars.

Raitis Stūrmanis ‘16 is one of them. Although Raitis is not one of the most known alumni for his business endeavors, he recently took on the lead role in the Latvian movie – Tumšzilais Evanģēlijs.

VEF Riga podcast is created by the basketball team with the same name. The guests are athletes, sports functioneers and friends.

Dzintars Dreibergs ‘02, despite his primary education at SSE Riga, is an award-winning movie director. His most recent work – TTT tīklā – has gained international traction.

INSIDE WITH SSE RIGANS:

Careers, Choices and Changing Habits Our friendship with SSE Riga goes far beyond supporting events like the recent Summer Symposium. Over the years, it has grown into much more than that - a place where SSE Riga students and alumni build careers, gain hands-on experience, and help to shape the most beloved grocery chain in the Baltics.

More and more SSE Rigans become part of “Maxima Latvia”. Team across different roles, contributing to everything from financial analysis to marketing. But beyond their professional journeys, they also reflect the everyday habits of modern consumers - what we choose to eat, how we shop, and how our preferences evolve.

Here are a few of their stories, along with go-to meal choices that keep them fueled throughout the day.

TOP PICKS

"Maxima Latvia" employees with SSE Riga roots Nils Duka, Financial Analyst and SSE Riga Class of 2024

1. "Meistara Marka" chicken wrap

“I joined “Maxima Latvia” because I was attracted by the opportunity to grow within a large and dynamic company, gain practical experience, and work in a team where initiative and willingness to learn are truly appreciated”.

2. "Well Done" smoothie 3. "Well Done" protein

Anna Višņivecka, Business Analyst and SSE Riga Class of 2025

1. "Meistara Marka" Salmon Poke bowl

“I recently started working at “Maxima Latvia” as a Business Analyst, and it has already been a very exciting experience”.

Renārs Ruģelis, Category Manager and SSE Riga Class of 2025 “I started my career at “Maxima Latvia” as a Junior Data Analyst, and now I work as a Category Manager, helping shape and develop the soft drinks assortment available in our stores”.

Paula Vērdiņa, Marketing Specialist and SSE Riga Class of 2026 “I joined “Maxima Latvia” about a year ago while looking for an internship opportunity, but it quickly turned into a job that I’ve successfully combined with my studies”.

THE INSIDER | 12

dessert

2. “Mangaļi” isotonic drink 3. "Meistara Marka" oat cream dessert 1. "Meistara Marka" Caesar salad 22.. C oca-Cola Coca-Cola 3. “Ben “Ben&&Jerry’s” Jerry’s” cookie dough cookie dough 1. "Meistara Marka" shrimp salad 2. “ Rudy’s” kombucha 3. "Well Done" Protein curd snack

Protein – (almost) everyone’s concern

Protein-rich products are no longer just for athletes. Protein drinks, breakfast cereals, desserts and snacks are becoming a convenient solution for busy daily routines while helping people stay full for longer and contributing to so much needed protein for balanced diet. Even everyday products are evolving – like the new “Well Done” protein bread, showing how this shift is reaching the basics as well.

Convenience and smart choices

In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, people are looking for products that save time, are nutritious, and tasty at the same time. This is where “Meistara Marka” enters the conversation – “Maxima’s” very own food-to-go meals have become the favorite for many students and young professionals who seek practical options without compromising on quality. For example, three course meal deal is available for mere 3.99.

Classics remain relevant

Some trends come and go, while others don’t really change. With summer around the corner, seasonal classics start to take over again. While the debate over the origins of aukstā zupa/šaltibarščiai may never be settled, it remains a go-to choice on warm days, and you can always find it in largest “Maxima” stores. Alongside it, familiar treats like “Pols” ice cream and other sweet staples continue to deliver those enjoyable moments people keep coming back for year after year.

Local brands and functional drinks Latvian producers are increasingly following global trends and creating products that compete not only in taste but also in design and concept. The focus is shifting towards drinks that offer something extra, whether it’s energy, hydration, or simply a better ingredient story. We acknowledge that and offer a variety of drinks – from “Well Done” smoothies to ELYNDI functional water and Rudy’s kombuchas.

Trends shift, habits transform, and what once felt like the norm may quickly become outdated. Preferences evolve – protein-packed snacks are on the rise, convenient meals are here to stay, and both producers and consumers follow what’s in the spotlight.

Yet despite these changing patterns, some things remain constant: the need for quality, taste, and food that fits our pace of life.

Take inspiration from our colleagues-SSE Rigans, find what works for you, explore new options, and choose “Maxima” products that suit your lifestyle.

If you are interested in joining "Maxima Latvia" team, check out the vacancies on company's website or contact Maxima's Head of Recruitment via email at laura.lobacova@maxima.lv

THE INSIDER | 13

The

0 0 $1 Mormon Portfolio Billion Church.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), often referred to as the Mormon Church, has built an investment portfolio exceeding $100 billion through its manager, Ensign Peak Advisors. What started as a small reserve fund has evolved into one of the largest institutional investment portfolios globally, comparing to major university endowments and even large hedge funds. Understanding the church’s investment strategy reveals a very complex financial scheme.

The LDS Church’s financial strategy dates back to the mid20th century.

Following financial difficulties earlier in its history, church leaders adopted a policy of fiscal conservatism avoiding debt and saving surplus funds.

Over time, this approach produced significant reserves. In 1997, the church formalized its investment operations by creating Ensign Peak Advisors, a dedicated entity responsible for managing its growing pool of assets.

THE INSIDER | 14

Today, Ensign Peak Advisors reportedly manages well over $100 billion in assets and operates much like a professional institutional investment firm. The firm employs finance professionals, invests globally, and follows portfolio management practices typical of large endowments or sovereign wealth funds.

Its primary purpose is to safeguard and grow the church’s financial reserves to support long-term needs.

A big part of that growth comes from tithing. Members of the LDS Church are encouraged to donate 10 percent of their income. With millions of members worldwide, these contributions generate billions of dollars annually.

Strategy!

Only a small portion of the donation funds are actually put into operations such as building temples, missionary programs, and humanitarian projects while an unofficially estimated 70% of the surplus is invested through Ensign Peak. This naturally raises some eyebrows regarding the transparency of how these funds are managed and the extent to which members are informed about the scale and purpose of the church’s investment activities.

Another pillar of the church’s portfolio strategy is a strong long-term investment horizon.

Unlike many institutional investors, the LDS Church faces little pressure to generate short-term returns. This approach mirrors the strategies of major university endowments such as Harvard or Yale, which also emphasize long-term capital appreciation. By maintaining a disciplined perspective through market cycles, the church can ride out economic downturns.

One of the defining characteristics of the Mormon portfolio strategy is diversification. Ensign Peak invests across multiple asset classes, including public stocks, bonds, extensive real estate developments, vast agricultural land and ranches, and ownership of several private businesses and media companies. Such diversification reduces risk by spreading investments across different sectors. It also allows the church to benefit from various economic cycles. Public disclosures of Ensign Peak’s holdings show a portfolio that closely resembles the broader stock market. Major technology and consumer companies - including Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet - have appeared among its largest holdings. Such allocations reflect a strategy similar to institutional index investing: hold diversified stakes in large, stable corporations while adjusting positions opportunistically.

Despite its scale, the church’s investment operations remained largely hidden from public view for decades. Unlike many nonprofit organizations, churches in the United States are not required to disclose detailed financial statements. This regulatory gap allowed the LDS Church to maintain a high degree of confidentiality about its finances. The secrecy surrounding the fund became a major controversy in 2019 when a former employee alleged that Ensign Peak had accumulated more than $100 billion in assets without making significant charitable distributions from the fund. The revelation triggered widespread debate about transparency, tax exemptions, and the role of wealth within religious institutions.

In many ways, the Mormon Church now operates similarly to a major institutional investor. Its investment arm employs professional portfolio managers, allocates capital across global markets, and manages assets comparable to large hedge funds or endowments. Yet its ultimate mission is officially claimed to remain religious rather than purely financial.

Church officials responded by describing the fund as a “rainy-day reserve” designed to ensure the organization’s stability during future economic crises or periods of declining membership.

Whether viewed as excessive accumulation, the LDS Church’s investment strategy is undeniably sophisticated. Through disciplined saving, diversified investing, and a long-term horizon, the organization has created one of the largest religious financial portfolios in the world.

Article by Tomas Markauskas Design by Patrīcija Paula Linde

THE INSIDER | 15

USA’S IPHONE MOMENT FOR FOOTBALL (SOCCER)

THE VALUATION THAT NEEDS EXPLAINING LAFC is currently valued at $1.25 billion while generating roughly $150 million in annual revenue, a multiple of 8.3x. The LA Galaxy sits at nearly 9.8x. Compare that to Real Madrid, generating $1.13 billion in revenue, trading at just 5.8x. European clubs with Champions League revenues, century-old fanbases and global merchandising empires are valued at lower multiples than franchises in a league most of the world couldn't name five years ago.

WHAT THE 2026 WORLD CUP MUST DELIVER FOR MLS INVESTORS In 1994, the United States hosted the FIFA World Cup with no professional football league, a limited fanbase, and widespread skepticism from the global football community.

The tournament still became the most attended World Cup in history, left behind a $50 million surplus, and forced the creation of Major League Football as a FIFA hosting MLS condition.

The first franchises sold for around $5 million each.

Those same franchises are now valued at over $1.4 billion. The league's total valuation exceeds $23 billion. And the World Cup is coming back.

This is not simply a story about football getting more popular in America. It is a story about one of the most aggressively priced valuation bets in professional sports, and whether the 2026 World Cup justifies it or exposes it.

This is optionality pricing.

Investors are not paying for what MLS is today. They are paying for what the US football market could become, and the 2026 World Cup is the single biggest variable in that equation.

THE INSIDER | 16

Article by Robert Gregor Laud Design by Elīna Bībere

WHY THIS TIME IS DIFFERENT The 1994 World Cup built infrastructure from nothing. 2026 inherits a market that has spent three decades quietly building the conditions for a real breakthrough.

International football viewership in the US has grown 60% since 2018, reaching over 50 million Americans, at a rate outpacing any other sport's comparable growth period. MLS recorded over 11.4 million fans at regular-season matches in 2024, up 14% from 2022. Since 2023, the league operates under a 10-year, $2.5 billion global streaming deal with Apple, delivering every match to over 3.7 million weekly viewers worldwide without regional blackouts.

The demographic argument is arguably the strongest of all. MLS fans are three times more likely to cite sports preferences as a connection to their cultural heritage. With 47 million foreignborn individuals in the US today, a figure projected to grow 51% by 2040, football is structurally embedded into the country's future in a way no other American sport can replicate. Football is the number one sport in 83% of countries worldwide.

As the US population grows more globally connected, so does its relationship with the game.

THE IPHONE ANALOGY

THE VERDICT

When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, the product itself was impressive but the real value came from the ecosystem it created around it. The App Store, the accessories market, habitual daily engagement. The iPhone succeeded not because of a single launch but because the infrastructure was ready to compound the momentum. Football in the US is following the same logic. The World Cup is the product launch. The league, the streaming platform, the youth pipeline and the sponsorship market are the ecosystem.

League-wide sponsorship revenue already hit $665 million in 2024, up 13% year-on-year, with 18 new official MLS partners signing in a single year. Football is also the second most participated sport among Gen Z, and the fastest growing major high school sport for both boys and girls over the past decade. The generation now entering peak consumption age grew up playing it.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG The Messi problem is real. The league received a massive commercial boost from one signing, and when he retires, nobody knows how much of that interest walks out with him. The pay-to-play youth model excludes large portions of the population, capping long-run talent quality. And historically, twelve of the last fourteen World Cups resulted in net financial losses for host countries, so the projected economic windfalls deserve healthy skepticism.

The $23 billion valuation is not irrational. It is a bet with real foundations, backed by demographics, a functioning commercial platform and genuine generational engagement with the sport. But it is still a bet. The 1994 World Cup created a league. The 2026 edition needs to do something harder: validate the price already being paid for that league's future.

THE INSIDER | 17

THE INSIDER | 18

INSIDER SPECIAL WITH Please introduce background.

ENTREPRENEUR & ORGANIZER OF SUMMER SOUND AND OTHER FESTIVALS

yourself

and

your

I'm a 1996 graduate of SSE Riga. After graduating, I worked in several companies for about five years, and then I got involved in my own projects.

Actually, I was an entrepreneur already before that, so around 2000–2001 I simply came back to entrepreneurship.

Since then I've been involved in fintech, mostly in various payment business projects, and I'm still involved in those.

One of the best known in Latvia is probably Mobilly.

I've also been involved in the record label and bar side of things — first I Love You Bar, and afterwards I Love You Records. I ran the I Love You Stage at Positivus festival, and later I became involved in Summer Sound Festival.

Along the way I've put on concerts with local and international bands, helped with an alternative festival “Kartupeļpalma”, and I'm now working on a new event “La-Di-Da-Di Garden Party” that will take place in Riga, Mežaparka Zaļais teātris on the 7th and 8th of July, 2026.

Let’s start at the beginning, with your time at SSE Riga, what was student life like for you?

It was a very intense time. Compared to today, the whole program back then was squeezed into two years. We studied without any breaks — no summer break, no holidays, just a Christmas break, and that was it. There were plenty of events, both formal ones at school and informal ones outside of it, though I don't recall any one in particular — it's more than thirty years ago now.

What I do remember is that even back then I was already organizing events myself. Together with friends we ran discotheques with alternative music in my hometown, Skrīveri, and with my schoolmate Justs Dzedons we organized an event in the Ikšķile town as well. So that time of school was studying, partying, working, and organizing things, all at once.

Your career seems to move across several different worlds. Was there a moment early in your career when you realised that you did not want to do only one “traditional” thing?

I had an entrepreneurial spirit long before that. Already in my secondary school years I had a small business. In general, I'm always looking for alternative solutions and different ways of doing things — and I know that sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't.

Summer Sound has become one of the largest music festivals in the Baltics, and it is strongly connected with summer vibes in Liepāja. What drew you to the project, and how has your role in it evolved since then?

It happened almost by coincidence.

Summer Sound was started by one of my friends, Uldis Akselrods, the year after the previous festival, Baltic Beach Party, ended in 2010. He ran it for the first time in 2011 and needed some financial help, which I provided. He ran it a second year, and again financial help was needed. By the third year he decided to hand it over to me. I brought in financing and experience — as I mentioned, I had been working together with Positivus festival — and so we worked together for a while.

At first my involvement was mostly financial. We worked together with the Positivus organizers until 2017, when we had friendly split. From 2018 onward it became fully my festival. That first year I did almost everything on my own, but right after that I started building a team.

Today I have a festival director – Maija Skrējāne and three more people working throughout the year to organize this big event.

What does the public usually misunderstand about the business side of organizing a festival?

I always tell people that the main thing in a festival is the content — the artists, the bands, the different activities — and that's almost right. But I'd say the most important thing is actually security. We put security in first place, and only after

ULDIS PABĒ

THE INSIDER | 19 that comes content. The other thing people misunderstand is timing: a festival isn't organized a couple of months before it happens. We work on it throughout the year, and sometimes even two or three years ahead. For example, we work on booking certain bands for years, until it's finally possible — until their touring schedule lines up and they're available for our festival.

With bigger festivals it's different. In a small country like Latvia we can't afford to stay in one niche, so we cover all the strands — EDM, pop, rock, punk, hip hop, everything. Once you blend it all together, it becomes more about the experience.

Festivals are not only about artists on stage. Do you think festivals today sell music, experiences, identity, community or all of these at once?

It depends on the festival. There are a lot of small niche festivals in Latvia — two, three, four thousand attendees — built around a specific genre, whether it's hip hop, classical, jazz, or heavy metal. In those, content comes first: people are true fans of that genre and come for that specific lineup.

People come to Summer Sound and festivals of that size for the adventure. It's the craziest adventure of the summer, where you can see your most loved artists and also discover something you've never listened to or even seen before. So for Summer Sound, it's really about the experience.

In the end, it’s learning by doing, and trying, and trying again..

ĒRZIS

Some lessons only come from real experience, especially when working with people, money, deadlines, and public expectations. What is something you learned after graduation that no university course could really teach?

University gives you the skills to learn, to organize yourself, to be patient, and to concentrate on what you need. But not all the facts you learn there will stick with you or get applied in real life — you may use that knowledge, or you may not. The most important thing, I think, is learning how to try things yourself, to invent your own way of doing things. That's what I learned for myself over time. It may not be something unique — maybe others invented it before me — but what matters is that I built systems and proved for myself whether they work or don't.

Understanding what doesn't work is just as important. Not all my projects have been successful; I've had failures too. In the end, it's learning by doing, and trying, and trying again.

TILL DEATH DO US PART Article by Marta Ciema Design by Elīna Bībere

It is a vow many people dream of saying on one of the most important days of their lives. But maybe it is also a vow written into us biologically, because love and death may be far more interconnected than we think.

There is a reason people say they have a “broken heart.” Not metaphorically. Not poetically. Biologically. Most of us have experienced it: the hollow chest, the sleepless nights, the loss of appetite, the strange heaviness in the body after losing someone we loved. A breakup, rejection, betrayal, or emotional separation can feel physically painful, almost like an injury.

And according to evolutionary psychology and neuroscience, that reaction may have once been essential for human survival.

Humans were never designed to survive alone. Thousands of years ago, isolation could mean death. Early humans depended on tribes, partners, families, and social groups for food, protection, warmth, and survival. Being abandoned by the group was not just emotionally unpleasant, it was dangerous. A person separated from others faced predators, starvation, and exposure with little chance of surviving alone.

Because of this, evolution had to make social connection feel extremely important. One of the ways nature achieved this was by linking social pain to physical pain.

THE INSIDER | 20

Modern brain imaging studies show that rejection and heartbreak activate some of the same neural pathways involved in physical injury. The brain responds to emotional loss almost as if the body itself has been wounded. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes perfect sense: if separation threatens survival, the brain must treat it seriously enough to force action. Pain motivates behavior.

Physical pain tells us to pull our hand away from fire.

Emotional pain pushes us to reconnect, repair relationships, seek belonging, or find new attachment. In ancient environments, this increased the chances of survival. In other words, heartbreak hurts because, for most of human history, losing people could mean losing life itself. Maybe that’s why we still say that some people are the reason we live or the love of our lives.

What makes this fascinating is that our biology has not fully caught up with modern society. Today, a breakup usually does not threaten our physical survival. We can live alone, order food, build careers independently, and communicate digitally.

Yet our nervous systems still react with ancient intensity. Deep down, the brain still interprets social loss as danger. This may also explain why loneliness has such powerful effects on health.

Studies consistently connect chronic loneliness with higher risks of anxiety, depression, cardiovascular disease, weakened immunity, and even earlier mortality.

More specifically, broken hearts can do more than create emotional suffering, in rare cases, they can temporarily damage the heart itself. This condition is known as “Broken Heart Syndrome,” medically called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The name comes from a Japanese octopus trap, because the heart affected by the syndrome changes shape in a way that resembles one. What makes the condition remarkable is that it is not imaginary, symbolic, or “just stress.” It is a real physical reaction in which intense emotional shock weakens the heart muscle.

The syndrome is often triggered by events such as the death of a loved one, divorce, betrayal, sudden rejection, or overwhelming grief. However, extreme fear, financial collapse, or even positive emotional shocks can sometimes trigger it as well. Patients frequently arrive at hospitals believing they are experiencing a heart attack.

They report chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, and exhaustion. In many cases, doctors initially cannot distinguish it from a traditional cardiac emergency. The difference is that blocked arteries are usually not the cause. Instead, scientists believe the condition results from a sudden flood of stress hormones, especially adrenaline and cortisol, overwhelming the body.

During moments of intense emotional trauma, the brain activates survival systems designed to respond to danger. Heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, muscles tense, and stress chemicals surge through the bloodstream. Under normal circumstances, this response helps humans survive threats. But when emotional stress becomes extreme, the hormonal overload can temporarily “stun” the heart, weakening its ability to pump effectively. Essentially, emotional pain becomes powerful enough to affect one of the body’s most vital organs.

What is especially fascinating is how this syndrome blurs the line people often draw between “mental” and “physical” pain. Society tends to separate emotions from biology, as if sadness exists only in the mind. Broken Heart Syndrome demonstrates the opposite: emotional experiences are deeply physical experiences. The brain, nervous system, hormones, and cardiovascular system are constantly connected.

There is also something strangely beautiful hidden inside this painful mechanism. If humans evolved to feel pain when they lose each other, then perhaps we also evolved to heal each other through love, care, and connection. For thousands of years, people survived together, not alone. And maybe deep inside, the human heart still remembers that. So the answer is not to avoid love because it hurts. The answer is to love more gently, more honestly, and more carefully, to become peace in someone else’s life, not pain.

We should not look for people to die for, but for people to live for.

THE INSIDER | 21

How to disappear completely.

Article by Kārlis Šadris Design by Patrīcija Nora Blūmentāle

To call the 3 years spent at SSE Riga formative would be a very big understatement. I, along with around 150 of my companions have gone through something that is more than a series of courses. SSE Riga is a microcosm of life itself – imperfect, full of ups and downs, often unbearable, but undeniably beautiful. I leave this institution having spent the best 3 years of my life here and in these few passages I will say some parting words, which will be addressed to the various people that shaped this journey.

First, don’t get me wrong, SSE Riga is not a perfect university. It is currently going through a transitional period, where some stalwarts that we all loved have left and succession is proving to be quite difficult, as those are very large shoes to fill. We miss Morten, we miss Yuri, we miss Kostja and that will hold true for years to come. When an NBA franchise loses its star player, often a rebuild ensues, unfortunately there is no redistribution mechanism like the NBA Draft, that would help smoothen that transition. We, as students, (especially those who have experienced the teaching of all the previously mentioned legends) do feel that impact quite heavily and it is also now partially our responsibility to get our uni out of the rebuild phase. Whether that be directly through donations, guest lectures, being active in the alumni association or indirectly – pursuing greatness or holding our alma mater’s name in high regard.

THE INSIDER | 22

However, let me point the collective attention back to Year 1. It was an interesting period for me; I had gotten into the uni I wanted to go to since 9th grade and gave up on my dreams of going to film school in the process. My expectations were sky high and became even higher after NCC. The famous student life has begun – I thought. The first few weeks were almost exactly how I imagined they would be.

I made a lot of new friends and felt like I had finally arrived at the place I wanted to be. As we started with ASCT, FA, Math & English, the pool of knowledge gained was also quite wide and felt challenging and rewarding.

Thus started the usual SSE Riga cycle – you arrive with stars in your eyes, face the reality of the world at large, become disillusioned, then in the end become grateful for the whole experience. There is no free lunch holds truer than true.

This cycle is something most students go through, whether they acknowledge it or not.

This is one of the main reasons I call SSE Riga a microcosm of real life – it’s an entirely cyclical experience. (Yes, I put that em dash there myself, I won’t let AI stop me from using a fantastically serviceable punctuation mark).

Beyond that, SSE gives you a glimpse into many nuances of what will await you once you graduate. Things like the politics of the elections or choosing group partners strategically; the dating market, where everyone has history with someone (just like in the whole of Riga); negotiations with lecturers or administration mirroring the ones you are bound to have with your boss at some point and a myriad of other things. Life imitates art and sometimes art imitates life.

THE INSIDER | 23

Year 2 marked an interesting progression.

Having faced the humbling that is a summer internship, you return invigorated and with a point to prove. For me, not only had things changed nearly 180 degrees in my personal life, but the world around us had also. AI had progressed to the point, where you could reliably outsource thinking and the struggle now became how much bu****it can you get away with (my deepest apologies to Kata and Jurga, I think the Anthropology seminars might be the top 3 coolest things in our uni, but putting the course right after FE is a death sentence to any effort students might put into it). Not always, of course – Econometrics and FE especially tested the strength of your time management, mental capacity and the extent to which you are capable to be locked in. Year 2 also brings a significant change to your social status – you become the big dog, as the Year 3’s are largely on exchange, you now effectively run the place. Your course mates now run all the organisations and you walk around larger than life. You also get to experience being taught by Tālis Putniņš – an experience every student deserves and should be thankful for.

At the end of year 2 you start to get a weird feeling of pre-mature nostalgia. You start to understand that it is so over. A goodbye tour?

Really? Jesus…

And that goodbye tour does come. Your exchange results tell you where you will spend 4 to 5 months of your life and you once again face the embarrassment ritual that is a summer internship. Once that ends, your bohemian lifestyle can begin. You are stripped of all commitments and fast tracked to a life of parties, alcohol, weird social interactions and foreign cultures. To some those are the best few months of their life, to some not so much, however, for all of us it serves as the final goodbye to a commitment-free life. A final send off to our ever-fleeting youth, perhaps?

THE INSIDER | 24

You return from exchange with a fresh perspective on life and a plethora of different experiences to boot. For some, a small tear of joy needs to be sucked up every time you enter Strēlnieku 4A, as you realise that the 3 best years of your life are coming to an end.

Every dap up or hug gets held for just a bit longer, as you look around way more than you used to. A smile creeps up when you see every lecturer or faculty member and you ponder about the good old days, thinking how simple it was back then. The realities of the VUCA world you were promised in one of the first lectures start to set in and you can’t help but feel helpless.

We reach the point where you defend your bachelor thesis and take the ceremonious picture with your partner outside the school.

Pictures speak thousands of words, but at that point there are no words, it is truly over. But as one Jeff Buckley once so eloquently put it – it’s never over. One chapter has led to another and it is time for you to spread your wings into a new forté.

As I sit on the precipice of an endless life of corporate slavery and mind-numbing 9 to 6 conditions, that are sure to get even worse, as the magic hand of the free market will liberate us from such nonsense as free time or enjoyment, I can’t help but be eternally grateful to SSE Riga. Despite its flaws or inconsistencies, I love this place and will do until I die. While studying here, I made friends that will be by my side forever and learned things about the world, about myself and about society that will shape the way I think and evaluate things forever.

My last words as an SSE Riga student shall be as such: That there. That’s not me. I go. Where I please.

Thank you for the times we spent together, BP

THE INSIDER | 25

W E AR E

Y OUNG AN D N A i V E

THE INSIDER | 26

Imagine being 2 years old. Now imagine your mind consisting of 5 parts, who after the first year of your life regenerated and started making new decisions and rummaging around. Black Ducky survived it. Not every organisation can survive such a change – let alone thrive under it.

The change of organisation chiefs is always troublesome and a bit scary.

Being in the elections as a chief makes you realise so many things about yourself and the previous board. The questions they asked last year begin to make sense, their looks and comments do too. At the same time, the baby you have nurtured for the past year is now being handed over to people who you most likely do not know closely. It is worrisome, yet positively exhilarating, especially if the people standing in front of you are highly capable individuals!

Shaking hands, voices and legs in tow.

Of course, this period is also a time of reflection. In spite of all the things that have been done, it feels like you have only just begun. When one has so many things on their plate, time truly flies by.

Perhaps a recollection of the most important things that being a chief has thought this writer and her team is in order. And hopefully some of it can help the next boards of the backbone of SSE Riga – our organisations.

Start early! This is the most important piece of advice you will get, which is probably why you have heard it so much.

Build a team! You need to learn how to work with your board. It means knowing their strengths and weaknesses. Having fun together is great, but learning to work together is crucial.

Learn the Y1 calendar by heart! You will need to plan meetings. Having the calendar turned on permanently is the safest way to do so effectively.

Plan! Plan, plan, plan. Being on top of everything is hard, that is why having good communication and starting early is crucial. However, idea generation for your org fair campaign, teambuildings, guest lectures and so on is not easy, so the more you plan ahead, the more time you have to come up with something actually good!

Be best friends with Ramona!

She is a little key fairy and if you want to get the best rooms without having to fight for one every time, be nice to her. Always saying please and thank you, as well as having a little chat is a good start.

black ducky STUDENT MARKETING AGENCY

THE INSIDER | 27

SKINNY JEANS: ARE THEY FAIRLY VALUED?

Article & Design

by E.B.

A cross-cultural, genderbalanced primary research exercise concludes that $SKNY is trading well above intrinsic value for the majority of holders. We initiate coverage with a SELL for male holders and a conditional HOLD* for female holders in blackvariant, low-rise positions only. n=12, equal gender split, English and Latvian cohorts, cross-academic · Not investment advice.

ASSET HISTORY: THE IPO TO THE CRASH $SKNY is a legacy fashion asset currently trading well above its intrinsic value. To understand how we got here, you need to understand where the asset came from - and more importantly, where the valuation detached from reality. The original premium was legitimate. What killed it was not competition, but scale. The moment a cultural signal becomes universally available, it stops being a signal. By the time $SKNY reached peak market capitalisation in 2010–2015, the rebellion it once represented had been fully distributed across every demographic and price point.

What remained was momentum and momentum, as every analyst knows, eventually runs out.

1950s - Initial public offering. Elvis Presley and James Dean establish the asset's original premium. Core value drivers: rebellion, youth, looking slightly dangerous. Fundamental value is real.

1970s - First relisting. Punk era - the Ramones, Sid Vicious. Brand equity renewed, original signal intact.

1980s - Second relisting. Glam rock. Credibility added; first signs of dilution.

1990s - Third relisting. Grunge. The asset remains culturally legible but the premium is thinning.

2005–2015 - Mass-market valuation. Everyone is long.

expansion.

Peak

2017-2019 - Correction begins. Gen Z declares $SKNY a millennial relic. Baggy, wide-leg, mom jean, and flare formats enter a multi-year bull run.

2020–present - Bear market confirmed. TikTok accelerates the rotation. $SKNY trades at a discount on every relevant multiple.

HOW HOLDERS EXITED? Exit mechanisms varied but the pattern was consistent. One participant was pushed out by the same peer pressure that originally drove the buy - when the social consensus flipped, so did the position. Another followed the incoming trend passively around 7th grade, no drama, no moment.

A third still has the jeans in the back of a drawer - not discarded, simply no longer acknowledged and describes $SKNY as a "long lost ex-boyfriend from 2016." The

THE INSIDER | 28

exit here was gradual: TikTok content around 2020 opened the door to mom jeans, then flares.

Worth noting: this participant would have listed flare jeans as a position they would never hold in 2017. Analysts are advised to maintain humility about current convictions.

Other exits include ripped knees that made winter structurally unviable; puberty widening the hips until the jeans simply stopped fitting; and one partici-

"Skinny jeans are my long lost exboyfriend from 2016. It had its time.

But I moved on. I don't even think about him. At all."

-Research participant.

pant who never held the position at all — selecting jeans by physical fit in-store and directing serious fashion capital toward sneakers, described as a considerably more diversified asset class.

PEER MULTIPLES The broader denim sector is in robust health - global jeans market revenue is projected to exceed $95bn by 2026, driven by a sustained shift toward relaxed and wide-leg silhouettes. Comfort-forward formats are capturing an expanding share of wallet. $SKNY is the only subsegment in active contraction inside an otherwise growing industry. Against its closest peers, the valuation gap is significant.

EV/EBITDA

P/E

P/B

β

Straight

7.1x

5.2x

0.9x

0.2

Wide-leg

8.1x

6.4x

1.1x

0.6

Baggy

8.8x

7.1x

1.3x

1.1

Mom

11.2x

9.8x

2.1x

0.4

Low-rise

13.4x

11.2x

2.8x

2.1

Flared

12.1x

10.3x

2.2x

1.3

Skinny

22.4x

31.1x

6.2x

-1.7

Sector avg

9.2x

7.1x

1.2x

1.2

EBITDA = Earnings Before Irrelevance, Trends, Discomfort and Aesthetic depreciation; P/E = Price to Embarrassment; P/B = Price to Body-type compatibility; β = sensitivity to trend cycles. 0 = timeless. >1 = trenddependent. <0 = moving against the market.

Skinny trades at 31.1x P/E — a 338% premium to sector average. Trend β of −1.7 confirms the asset is not merely out of fashion but actively moving against the market.

Straight jeans are the most undervalued asset in the peer set: low multiples, near-zero β, no re-rating risk.

Mom and flared have been downgraded to HOLD — both past peak, both living on residual goodwill.

WHO CAN CARRY THE POSITION

For female holders, residual value exists but narrowly. The only defensible configuration: black, low-rise, fitted combined with high boots. Confidence is the decisive variable; a strong backside, as respondents mentioned, helps too.

That said, two participants independently noted that even the best configuration carries a persistent structural discount. Something, they said, is always slightly off. For male holders, the situation is less forgiving.

Thin legs are the

primary risk - the garment accentuates rather than complements. That said, trained legs are marginally better (?).

The one exception is the fashion diva - someone whose personal aesthetic simply overrides con-ventional rules.

This quality is non-transferable and should not be mistaken for a general buy signal.

On the comeback: one participant argued an autumn revival for women remains plausible. The broader cohort disagreed - "maybe as a big meme, but not for long." Meme potential is not a valuation basis.

THE BOY-/GIRLFRIEND VARIABLE The most analytically rigorous contribution came from a participant who immediately proposed modelling $SKNY ownership as a logit regression.

Their own biography confirmed the central finding: no partner, long $SKNY - "of course I was wearing them. It's common sense." Partner acquired; position exited across six stores.

Physical discomfort was cited as a secondary driver: tight denim, the participant noted, creates structural incompatibilities that become impossible to ignore over time.

He also raised reverse causality: does the absence of a partner cause $SKNY ownership, or does $SKNY ownership prevent acquiring one?

Conclusion: variable bias, not reverse causality — the partner dummy correlates with underlying style-awareness factors that independently predict divestiture.

A competing hypothesis emerged in group sessions: partners divest the holder from $SKNY not because the asset looks bad, but because it looks too good the backside emphasis attracts third-party attention they prefer to retain exclusively. Our analysts found this theory difficult to formally reject.

THE INSIDER | 30 The mechanism was confirmed from the operator side: one participant described shaping their partner's shopping decisions through strategic compliments until the behaviour became self-sustaining. "You just compliment them and they sort of lean into it." The Latvian cohort confirmed the effect with reference to a named real-world SSE Riga couple. One participant compressed the full model to a single sentence: "if you have a partner, you will have normal style." The symmetric reverse effect was examined and found statistically absent. Where observed, it trended negative.

Y = α − β1 * PARTNER − β2 * STYLE − β3 * MEDIA − β4 * WAIST − β5 * LOWER_BODY + β6 * PEER + β7 * COLOR_BLUE + ε R² = inconclusive. N = 12. Standard errors clustered at cohort level. PARTNER_dummy is the dominant predictor across all model specifications. Reverse causality suspected but unconfirmed — treated as variable bias. Results robust across English and Latvian cohorts.

MARKET RISK FACTORS Chicken legs risk. The asset accentuates exactly what it should conceal. On underdeveloped frames, $SKNY does not complement the position - it exposes it. "If guys don't do leg days, their legs look like chicken legs."

Backside overexposure risk. $SKNY overemphasises backside proportions - cited as a reason for early divestiture even during peak valuation. "They pop my a*s out too much." Under the gatekeeping hypothesis, this is simultaneously the primary driver of partner-led divestiture. See: boyfriend/girlfriend variable.

Sexuality signalling risk. Raised independently across English and Latvian sessions without crosscontamination. Male holders face an unintended social perception risk that is culturally widespread and should be treated as a material disclosure.

"They look gay on guys."

Reverse causality trap. The jeans may be preventing the acquisition of the very partner who would otherwise execute the exit. As one participant noted: "I really hope there are some kind hearted girlfriends out there to save them" - our analysts found this loop both theoretically sound and genuinely tragic.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This note draws on twelve interviews across English and Latvian cohorts, with balanced gender representation, varied academic backgrounds, and a deliberate range of prior beliefs. All contributions were made with full consent under anonymity protocols. The research is considerably better for every voice in it.

DIVESTITURE STRATEGIES Six approaches were identified across the sample, presented in ascending order of aggression.

Style osmosis. Spend enough time with a welldressed peer and wait for the position to unwind through proximity. One participant was confident the problem would not arise: "It probably won't be my friend. Because if I look at my friends, they are just the icons."

The shopping expedition. Propose a casual trip, steer toward alternatives, never name the problem.

"Maybe we go shopping and I say - oh look at this, do you want to try on together?" One participant acknowledged the limits: changing clothing habits is genuinely difficult.

The humour play. Flag the social signalling risk. One participant identified the sexuality perception as the most effective lever for male holders specifically. ""In a funny, jolly way - you look a little bit homosexual.”

Theatrical intervention. The group cohort proposed tearing the jeans off, asking whether the holder's mirror was broken, or simply "start mentally abusing him." High execution risk.

The confiscation plan. Gift wide-legs. Invite the holder over in the legacy position. Confiscate it. Do not return it. Then publish a research note. This article is that note.

Physical restructuring. Consult with a fitness trainer until the lower-body asset base renders $SKNY either structurally incompatible or too embarrassing to maintain. Longer-dated strategy.

* HOLD applies to black, fitted, low-rise variants only, with high boots, appropriate outerwear, and confidence coefficient above threshold. All other variants remain on SELL. The partner effect is real. The reverse is not. Elvis could pull them off. You are probably not Elvis.

THE INSIDER | 31

"It had its time."

– Research participant.

Summer sy

'26

ymposium

HOW TO DEFINE A MONTH For some reason I never got comfortable with a societal structure known as “seasons of the year”. It seems strange that we simply kept the cut-off that said “now this isn’t winter anymore, it’s spring”.

Although months make perfect sense to me. Perhaps that is because the change in seasons really never meant a change in my life.

Article by Iurii Simuchenkov Design by Romija Roze

THE INSIDER | 34

This is especially applicable to summer, which was sometimes even more scheduled than the school time.

There was no going to the countryside for two months, instead our family went somewhere to the sea for two weeks. That wasn’t fun or interesting either, I found it quite boring and dull. My parents always dragged me somewhere. I think it’s fair to say that I was lonely during those trips.

However, I looked forward to summer for a different reason: a camp. I loved going to the camps, I would meet a lot of people who in complete isolation would become much more open and sincere.

Something I missed during the other weeks of the year.

My regular company of friends at school weren’t exactly tolerant or easygoing. And just like everyone they showed their appreciation for friendship by publicly embarrassing you with a stupid picture of you sleeping.

I never understood those jokes, as they made the person feel bad. I didn’t laugh at anecdotes until I was 14, because someone usually felt bad in them, so I concluded that I’m simply weird and different from everyone else. I wanted my conversations to be nicer to everyone.

I couldn’t tolerate my peers’ behaviour, consequently, quickly enough I was labeled as “gay”, “pidoras”, and other nicknames that highlighted my softness and exclusion. I am quite upset at it now, because it’s very uncomfortable pronouncing these things to my therapist. Once, on the football field I overheard someone saying about me: “he’s got the technique, the vision, but something’s still off”, I quickly replied “my brain!”

A similar situation happened in basketball, in the art school, music school, theatre. So, I thought I might never escape my curse of doing everything humanly possible, but still missing something essential. I was hoping that it was simply unluck, that the people I have met in my life were so natural compared to me.

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In 2018 I went to an Englishspeaking camp for 2 weeks. I took a lot of clothes, football boots and gloves, as I was told we will play football, plus a strange souvenir from France. It was a toy bun, but the producer also made it smell like one of the best bakeries you might ever visit in your life. And with this equipment I was locked and loaded to go. Upon arrival, everyone started playing icebreaker games. One of them was lining up in the alphabetical order of the first letter of your name.

Unfortunately for everyone, I did not know the alphabet, I still don’t to this day.

In the coming days, I mostly laughed without speaking. I was gathering up the courage to say something so convincing, hilarious, and accurate, so that everyone would instantly include me in their group. Yet, that thought seemed to be sleeping in the back of my head.

Suddenly, we got a task to shoot a short film. The group I was in, had a guy named Lenny. Lenny was a so-called veteran of the camp, he went there every summer. Quite honestly, he was one of the nicest “cool guys” I’ve met, on top of that Lenny was obsessed with making movies.

So, he quickly took the lead and created a short story of a schoolboy who ends up in a parallel dimension with a hostile tribe.

But on that day it was very important, as I tried asking some people’s names, figuring out the order, but came up emptyhanded. Other campers figured that task out very quickly and put me in the right spot. The next task was to describe yourself using an adjective on the first letter of your name. I frantically started remembering the adjectives starting with the letter “I”, the only thing I could come up with was “ironic” which couldn’t be further from the truth.

I hated irony wholeheartedly, I rarely understood it, since it sounded like a mean joke at someone.

Everyone laughed and continued onto the next person.

THE INSIDER | 36

II was picked as a schoolboy thanks to my unbearable young face accompanied by my slim figure. The end of the story was that the head of the tribe would give me an artefact that would transfer me back to my world.

And in the camp apart from sticks, stones, and our clothes we couldn’t find anything else.

Everyone started brainstorming, my thought’s alarm finally went off. I ran back to my room, grabbed the stupid toy bun. The short film turned out to be quite funny, I still rewatch it, and the toy bun is there every time. That camp ended in the best fashion possible, I kept my absurd ideas coming and they finally landed in the right place.

As I came back from the camp, I quickly put the toy bun on the shelf, unpacked my suitcase and went to play football. My friends were always better at it, that time wasn’t an exception. I missed the ball, I fell awkwardly, and was always quite slow. As the school year started, I became more integrated into the class. I sat with them at lunch, I listened to their jokes, I laughed at their jokes.

During school excursions I would try to come up to them to have fun. The school year went by and then summer came about, I went to the camp again. And the camp felt similar to last year, except, I was much more confident in my ideas. I quickly started grabbing others’ attention, leading some activities.

Which happened until the time I came to Riga. I became employed at the Riga branch of the camp. I prepared hard for it, I thought through every possibility, I understood that in order to prepare the activities in the camp I’d have to wake up at 6am.

I’d given up smoking at that point, basically, I was ready. I ended up doing everything I wanted, during the drive home I was satisfied with my effort. After I came back from the camp I was swept with melancholia. I saw that the people in the camp had worked much less than I did beforehand, and took everything much easier than I did. Yet, somehow, they always had a smile on their face, and they always supported me and told me to ease up. The only thing I could do at that point was try to analyse it as I usually have done. Maybe it was their experience, maybe it was their way of preparation, maybe it was their brain? The conclusion that I always came to was crying. I cried for two weeks straight. Each time I thought I figured it out, I always came to some logical inconsistency in my explanation of their happiness. I talked to my colleague and he told me to let go. To let go of my aspiration to control perfection.

This year I’m not going to the camp. The management decided to bring their personal issues with me out in the professional field.

And it will be the first time I have a summer to schedule personally.

Maybe, I’ll understand why the summer actually starts when it does.

THE INSIDER | 37

Every first Monday in May, otherwise rational people lose their minds.

By midnight, my Instagram feed is full of blurry livestream clips, my friends are debating whether someone "understood the theme," and millions of people who claim not to care about celebrity culture are suddenly deeply invested in the embroidery choices of strangers. The strange part is that economists already know exactly why this happens.

The Met Gala is not just fashion. It is economic theory in real time: a system built on status, scarcity, and wanting what we cannot have. It runs like clockwork. Until 2026, when it finally got too hot to handle.

Usually, when prices rise, demand falls. In 1899, Thorstein Veblen noticed something that broke the model entirely: certain goods had become more desirable precisely because they are expensive. The price is not a barrier — it is the point. Owning the thing signals something about you that a cheaper version simply cannot.

The sneakers chosen over the functionally identical pair. The hardback bought partly because of how it looks on a shelf. Status signalling is not a personality flaw — it is a market force. We are all doing it.

The Met Gala just does it in a Swarovski-covered corset on the steps of a museum, with a billion people watching.

The genius of Anna Wintour is that she made “You're Not Invited” the most powerful sentence in fashion.

There are no transparent criteria for getting invited. No application. No checklist. The uncertainty makes access seem controlled by taste and cultural authority, making invitations more valuable and the event more desirable.

In 2026, individual tickets reportedly hit $100,000 per seat. But this is not a "high price" in any conventional sense — it is a filter. It ensures the room contains only a very particular kind of person, which ensures the room remains worth entering. A seat at the Met Gala is valuable largely because most people cannot have one. The moment it becomes accessible, the signal collapses. The harder access becomes, the hotter demand gets.

Without an audience, an exclusive party is just a party. The billions watching from outside are what give the people inside their status. Every repost, livestream, meme, and TikTok breakdown intensifies the desire surrounding the event. When Rihanna or Zendaya appear at the top of those stairs, they are not simply wearing a dress. They are standing at the centre of a cultural broadcast — communicating to a global audience that this designer, this aesthetic, this brand, is worth wanting.

YOU'RE NOT INVITED.

Article: Paula Esmeralda Deksn

e

THE INSIDER | 38

Here is the thing about Veblen goods that nobody mentions: they are fragile. The entire system runs on collective belief — the shared, unspoken agreement that this room, this invitation, this staircase, means something. The moment people start questioning whether the signal is real, the prestige doesn't just weaken. It leaks.

Which is exactly what made 2026 so revealing.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez served as honorary chairs and major sponsors, reportedly contributing at least $10 million. For the first time, a tech billionaire became central to the event's identity, with multiple technology companies occupying tables throughout the night. And suddenly the illusion started slipping.

The Met Gala has always implied that invitations were earned through some combination of artistic relevance, influence, and taste. The Bezos sponsorship complicated that story. The trio on the carpet — Wintour, Kidman, Sánchez — unintentionally illustrated the three traditional paths in: taste, artistic achievement, or extreme wealth. Historically, you needed at least two. In 2026, one appeared sufficient.

The irony was difficult to ignore. Amazon has played a central role in accelerating fast fashion and normalising ultra-cheap consumption — directly undermining the artisans and luxury houses the Gala claims to celebrate. Protesters hacked New York bus stop advertisements to read: "The Bezos Met Gala invites you to party like it's 1939." Even Bezos himself avoided the red carpet.

A status symbol that people no longer believe in is just an overpriced object in an overheated room.

And yet — and this is the part that actually interests me — it won't matter.

Come next May, the stairs will fill again. Someone will wear something that stops the internet cold.

Someone else will miss the theme entirely and generate three days of discourse. The group chat will wake up at midnight. You will have opinions — strong ones — about people you have never met, wearing things you will never own, at a party you were never going to be invited to.

The system survived 2026 not because the criticism was wrong, but because the fascination was stronger. That's the really unsettling part — not the dresses, not the drama, but the fact that collective belief, once built, is extraordinarily hard to undo.

You already know this about yourself. You'll be watching anyway.

“That’s all”

.

T N I O P E H T S ' T A TH

igina

Design: Elīna Kič

THE INSIDER | 39

RUOY ERA

LETTERS BOXD?

By Anna Gogebashvili

Earlier this year due to several circumstances, I deleted TikTok. Yet I got proven that the devil always reinvents – not by reels though as many would think, rather by Letterboxd. Look, I’ve never been particularly interested in films, but this year I experienced the kind of personality adaptation Kourtney Kardashian would probably approve of, and I started my cinephile journey. As a declaration of my commitment, I brought my dusty and deserted Letterboxd account back to life and started watching and logging. As weeks passed and I got familiar with the app, it has become more and more interesting to me, and you are probably wondering what is there to see or read, but it is not the substance that pulled me in, it is the dopamine kick that Letterboxd replicates from TikTok to me. As a newbie film-watcher, going through the Top 500 Films list was the first high I experienced as I was basically shopping for my watchlist and future experience by choosing films from their names, posters, and short overviews.

When I got to the practical part of actually watching these movies, it only got better as I got to rate them, read other people’s reviews, and expand my watchlist with similar movies to the ones I enjoyed. Now, this is the part that feels the closest or even better than the TikTok experience: after watching something, I would usually search up the name of the movie or series on TikTok and watch the edits, but now I eagerly turn to read others’ reviews and reminisce on some parts of the film using my own brain rather than short clips on TikTok – this part of my Letterboxd experience is what inspired me to write this article, by the way. Let’s treat this article as my two cents on the argument about some social media apps being better than others, and I would say that the Letterboxd app is not as superior and less shallow or brainotted than TikTok, it just has a different context.

Before I get too much into it, I want to say that this does not apply to all Letterboxd users and I am being as grotesque as possible for entertainment purposes.

THE INSIDER | 40

If we look at the actual content one publishes/consumes, you can tell that there is the same distinction between mainstream and niche as everywhere else. People are trying to be different by logging Scandinavian films about soul-shattering suffering rather than popular American films – the less reviews the better of course. I’ve always been seeing the memes that were joking about film bros acting like you killed their families after you say that you haven’t seen a four-hour long Polish movie from the 1950s, and now I get the joke. This gives off the same vibes when people choose to stand out according to their TikTok for you page algorithms. The distinction is also noticeable when you read the comments to classics, you see someone giving one and a half stars to an absolute cinema type of movie, check their top 4, and see some random indie underground films.

Speaking of the top 4, this is a peak opportunity to show off your performative taste and outniche everyone. The top 4 is the most carefully curated possession of every active Letterboxd user as it has to be the perfect representation of your personality, niche, aesthetic, branding, just everything; this is like a status symbol everyone on TikTok is obsessed with – showing off your quiet luxury.

There is a second genre of people’s top 4 you might encounter, the one that has been untouched since the stone age, which is another interesting quirk and is the same level of performativeness as me refusing to add an instagram bio because I haven’t had one in years and now adding one would break my persona.

Performativeness also shows in the manner the reviews are written: we have self proclaimed critics leaving paragraphs of detailed analysis, and those who leave very sarcastic oneliners in the hopes of someone catching onto their obscure joke and leaving a like. Sometimes it almost feels like the whole point of seeing a film is to show the entire Letterboxd community what you saw and then upkeep the review performance, just like how on TikTok every action/habit is a performance now.

With this, I’ll stop my parallel-drawing satirical session, as I am no better than those people I just described and it is a matter of time before I get through my list of classics and descend into my film niche as well; but I just wanted to show that TikTok and all the negatives that come with it do not only stay there, and they spill over other social media channels as well, no matter how specific, intellectual, or different they might seem.

THE INSIDER | 41

AM I A S

THE INSIDER | 42

Some might call it a cult, some might call it a toxic relationship, yet some call it love - folk dance. Latvian folk dance is based on traditional gender roles - an agreeable premise. How should then a liberal, leftwing young adult console their political, cultural and societal existence by being a part of such an arbitrary, nationalistic institution as folk dance? Even more so, a woman who believes in her equality, power and liberty?

Folk dance is single-mindedly the final boss of conservatism. While one may point to the historical slips in style or exceptions in dances, the general feeling is that of conservatism. This article, written by a woman, looks at this conflict through a distinctly feminine perspective, yet most of the discussed topics apply to men as well. To exemplify, when one thinks about the man paying on a date: the woman feels pressure to perform for the man, yet the man feels pressure to embody the caretaker stereotype. A critical thinker should be able to imagine the other side of this equation, and I still believe that SSE Riga has some left.

SHEEP?

THE INSIDER | 43

As an emancipated woman, folk dance can sometimes feel jarring, especially if one is used to the egalitarian (debatable…) environment of SSE Riga. The expression of gender within dance is exceptionally divided.

Obviously, folk dance costumes are the visually empiric example, yet the physical movements hold underlying meaning as well.

Women (most of the time) are expected to be feminine, whereas the man should be strong.

Moreover, the man is supposed to be in control whenever in a pair. As an unnamed dance teacher likes to say, the women “should be sheep.” While usually followed by the explanation that we have to think and be bosswomen everywhere else, and this is our chance to not think, it is still a potent suggestion for the subconscious. The woman should submit, right? The dissonance grows stronger when you see who the ensemble leaders actually are. One might be surprised at the gender scales within this sphere, which are fairly balanced. While there is a conversation to be had about the way male and female teachers are treated, my point here is to highlight that the women saying these things are the highest authority in that place. There is another form of doublethink there as well, I think. Even though the woman may be expected to follow the man, to allow herself to be led, one must still exert a tremendous amount of energy on looking beautiful, on remembering every detail, on being a part of the mass.

Article & Design by Anna Marta Ozere

The overarching gender lens is further highlighted by the amount of love portrayed

within

dance.

The

overwhelming majority of dances deal with the topic of romance, courting and love. When the structure of dance itself 95% of the time involves at least one pair of dancers or some other combination of both genders, these are the stories that are easiest to tell.

Furthermore, one could argue that all art is in some way related to love, independently

of

the

medium.

Moreover, this is not necessarily bad.

Who doesn’t love love? The issue arises when we look at the way the stories are told. While there are some dances where the women are the courtiers, overwhelmingly once again men take the lead and are the ones “going after” the woman/-en. This takes many forms, but is often presented in the form of them

showing

off

or,

in

more

humorous dances, as basically begging for “some”. Not to say that a man being a gentleman is bad, we love us some well-mannered

guys,

but

the

traditional gender expectations are always there.

AM I A S

THE INSIDER | 44

At the same time, dance can be a fantastic playground for romance. It teaches people how to interact, how to touch each other, even how to flirt at times. While saying that folk dance teaches people how to touch each other may sound weird, it is also true. And it is not a bad thing either - if one wishes to succeed in romance, touch is important. Flirt is important. Knowing how to move on a dance floor is surely a large plus for either side. Dance offers the opportunity to explore these things in a safe and creative environment.

Dance builds community, and a very strong one at that. Some might call it “becoming close through suffering”, but others may say that working towards a common, intricately beautiful goal of creating a moving artwork is the vital potion for communal success. Of course, parties, drinking and dancing does help a lot too. So, what is the answer for our dear leftist?

Perhaps, critical self-reflection, thought and understanding on the effect dance can have on the mind is all that’s needed. Perhaps, peace can be made with the need to fight tradition.

Perhaps, art is art and life is life, and that’s all.

SHEEP?

THE INSIDER | 45

They're back. The nominations you've been waiting for, arguing about, and quietly hoping to appear in.

Some titles have been defended, some thrones have been stolen, and a few categories will have you wondering how we even came up with these. Wondering who made this year a little more memorable?

Well, don't look at us - you're the ones who voted.

THE INSIDER | 46

PRETTIEST SMILE

sone Martin a l ie n a D

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY

THE GOSSIP GIRLS

Anna Ģērm ane

Roberts Stangainis

Raimonds Vilcāns

Rimkus Dāvids

MOST LIKELY TO MAKE IT INTO

SA EVENT OF THE YEAR

FORBES 30 UNDER 30 Rūdis F reipičs

MOST LIKELY TO RUN A PYRAMID SCHEME ida Jānis E s i l r ā K

THE INSIDER | 47

ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR

Business com

The Insider

COMMITTEE OF THE YEAR

THE BEST CHIEF

MOST LIKELY TO GO ON

s odniek r P s b Jēka

VACATION IN THE MIDDLE OF A DEMANDING COURSE

Reinis Zirnis

Luīze Reinš mite

LECTURER

THE BEST

THE COUPLE OF THE YEAR Anastasia Roberts &

THE BEST COURSE THE INSIDER | 48

Tālis Putniņš

MARKETING & FINANCIAL ECONOMICS

THE RE-EXAM SURVIOVOR alverša K a n n A

Ciema Marta

Elīna Kičig ina

THE FASHIONISTA

Rob ert s Sil gals

e Patrīcija Paula Lind

THE PARTY ANIMAL

THE ACADEMIC WEAPON

Kārli s Bēr ziņš

Rūdis Freipičs

Aris Lipša

Raimon ds Balo dis

ms irku Ķ s ert Rob

THE STRAVA WARRIOR THE INSIDER | 49

Hot Girl Summer & the Fear of Being d e R y y x e S Known Article & Design by PPL :)

THE INSIDER | 50

I was recently listening to one of my favourite artists Sexyy Red and created a long train of thought. She is not just a rapper but an icon, a legend, a diva.

She represents something louder than music- the age of being desired without being emotionally available, of performing confidence so convincingly that no one thinks to ask if it is real.

Summer … Tan lines, parties, alcohol, spontaneous makeouts, loud music, sex, bad decisions that feel good in the moment, and the kind of confidence that looks effortless from the outside. It is sold to us as freedom. Be wanted, be wild, be untouchable. Don’t care too much.

Don’t need anyone. Don’t stay too long. And maybe, for a while, it works. There is something so intoxicating about being desired without being responsible for what comes after. A quick spark, a body beside yours, a story for later, the feeling of being wanted without the weight of holding or being held.

But eventually, the music quiets. Messages get left on read. The room empties. The confidence that looked effortless starts to feel like another performance. Beneath all the noise, there is a question nobody wants to answer… Are we actually free, or have we just become better at pretending not to need anything?

There is a strange pressure now to be unbothered. To never admit you want love. To treat attachment like weakness and desire like power. We crave commitment, then run from it. We post ourselves like ads and call it confidence. We confuse being seen with being known.

This might be the epidemic no one knows how to name: male loneliness, female exhaustion, digital intimacy, situationships, talking stages that never become anything real or any other BS name Tik Tok gives us. Everyone is available, but no one is reachable.

Digital times did not kill romance but rather made less courageous. It now hides behind memes, irony, delayed replies, half confessions, and “I’m not looking for anything serious.” It lives in songs we pretend not to relate to and in message drafts we never send. “The saxophones are getting louder” or maybe that is just another love song turning into background noise. We have become fluent in avoidance. We know how to flirt, how to disappear, how to keep things casual. But we do not always know how to stay.

Staying is the dangerous part. To stay is to admit that someone matters. To commit is to let another person become real enough to disappoint you, change you, know you. To trust someone with your secrets, insecurities, random thoughts, soft habits, and ugly fears is almost impossible in a world that rewards performance.

And maybe that is why everyone is scared. Attention is easier than intimacy. You can be wanted by someone who does not know you at all. Being known is different. Being known means there is something to lose. To know and to be known is dangerous, you can actually get hurt (guess what, it is essential to life). So we keep things light. We call it casual. We don’t use labels. We keep our options open.

We convince ourselves that needing someone is embarrassing, that softness is a liability, that the person who cares less always wins.

But what kind of victory is that? What do we actually win when we become impossible to reach? When we collect attention but avoid affection? When we are surrounded by proof that people want us, yet feel untouched by love?

Strongest thing in the universe is not lust or the high of being desired. It is love. Not the aesthetic of love. Not romance as a caption, a soft launch, or a curated performance. Real love. The kind that asks you to be honest. The kind that makes you put the facade down. The kind that says, I see you, even when you are not entertaining. I choose you, even when there are easier options. I want to fight and die for you.

Maybe the bravest thing we can do now is not prove we can be desired by everyone but deciding we are worthy of being known by one.

Live laugh love Sexyy red, stay young, stay free, and love.

Love rules the world. Have a warm summer

THE INSIDER | 51

THE INSIDER | 52

“I MISS YOU” IN THE MOST SIMPLE WAY POSSIBLE. JUST THREE WORDS STANDING BESIDE EACH OTHER, AND ONE OF THEM IS YOU. A SHORT SENTENCE WITH A SUBJECT: I. MARTA A VERB: MISS. CIEMA AND THE ANSWER TO “MISS WHO?”: YOU. SIMPLY YOU. AND DON’T YOU DARE BLAME ME FOR MISSING YOU. EVERYONE BECOMES WEAK FROM TIME TO TIME. I JUST TURNED MINE INTO A SENTENCE.

“GOODMORNING” The house still smells like rainwater and rusted windows.

The sunlight keeps burning through the windows, filling the house with heavy air and dust.

There is even mud beneath my fingernails, inside my lungs, and I still cannot wash out the yellow dandelions from my jeans, the ones I wore the last time I loved you.

I don’t even have a single photograph of us, so the memories rot instead, like old autumn leaves left in the corners of our house, a house with rusted windows and floors that learned our footsteps.

You begged.

Kept searching for the version of us.

I remember that much.

I can still feel your nails leaving red marks on my pale skin, like someone had bitten me hard enough to leave evidence of ownership.

And every time I try to run away from you, wasps keep stinging my ankles, wanting to poison me with memory venom, hoping I will stay for another summer.

Sterile. Cold. Nosebleed.

My collarbones have never been so fragile they could snap from a single touch, and still, every night, I hoped for one.

Because even in the morning, I still search for you in every dandelion.

“Goodmorning”

THE INSIDER | 53

It is still yesterday, and it has been yesterday for the past week.

If someone asked me which day it is today, I would still say yesterday.

Simply the day before.

Please remember me.

Write me a letter.

Two. I will buy a postmark for you, the one with the ladybug, because you always liked small things that carried luck on their backs.

Do you know my address?

My postal code?

The color of my door?

I don’t want it to get lost again.

Not again.

Not this time.

There are already too many things

missing between us.

And here I am again, standing in an empty mailbox, trying to remember where you live.

I don’t even have words left for myself.

I spent them all trying to reach you.

It’s so strange when the poet is left

without words to write.

YO U H AT E M E FO R E V E R Y T H I N G I A M N OT, I LOV E YO U FO R E V E R Y T H I N G YO U A R E N OT. YO U H AT E M E FO R E V E R Y T H I N G I A M N OT,

Because time stopped somewhere between your last attempt TO SAY I LOVE YOU and my first attempt I HATE TO MY TO LET YOU GO. TIE SHOELACES. And now time has spoiled, THAT’S WHY I simply gone bad, DON’T. past its expiry date, NEVER DID. HATE and the air is thick YOU with the smell of you. THAT ABOUT Even decay lives ME MAYBE inside my brain. OR JUST ME. How can I forget you WHILE YOU if you are in every word I speak, SLEEP, every drawing, I RIP THEM every line I wrote? OUT. HIDE You live inside my handwriting now. AND THEM And I hate that everything I touch still remembers your name. SOMEWHERE STUPID. SOMEWHERE EVEN I WON’T CHECK. AND IF YOU BUY ME NEW ONES, I’LL JUST MOVE ON TO BUTTONS NEXT. I’LL TEAR THEM OFF ONE BY ONE. EVEN FROM YOUR SHIRT, THE WHITE ONE, SIZE L. DON’T ASK ME WHY. I JUST DON’T WANT TO BE TIED TO ANYTHING THAT EXPECTS ME TO HOLD TOGETHER.

WHICH THE INSIDER | 54

FACULTY

MEMBER Across

Down 1. GMDA or SYNY 3. life is a b**ch, bye 6. reexam grades are released now 8. sinking 9. cut the chitchat, guys 10. basically 11. my dear accountants

SAID IT?

2. when in doubt have some chocolate 3. i just wanted to see students fall on their faces 4. my dear friend Donald 5. shhhhh...

7. wait and see, wait and see 12. stay away from small sizes 13. sex sells

06

26

THE INSIDER | 55

By Rūta Švarcbaha & Rebeka Rumbēna

GOSSIPS Whats wrong with certain people spamming the class chats every friday. like please, one time it might seem fun, but every week is just cringe Just wow. BD reaching new highs. In a single video, stealing not one but TWO other organizations’ brand identities. Now it’s JJ and their kingdom of kings & queens… and of course the insiders xoxo sign-off R.M. y2 was going crazy with that one girl

G.Z. is you aware that you are on the board and not on a retreat? a little birdie, as they say, may have spotted y1 double trouble getting very lucky last night ;;)) Certain y2 girl, Him again? Have some dignity Certain people should find a life. Yes, P.S., I am talking about you.

When she walks into a room, you first see her ego, and only then you see E.M.

When will it be BETONS Symposium?

White Alumni team, no reason to act as agressively as you did. I get it that sports should be competitive and there is a bit of trash talk involved, etc, but you take it to another level, which is embarassing.

DJ should really learn how to go from one song to the next, because those transitions were not it Where was the beer this year????

Why no tap???

A.L. I think i saw your girl enjoyed by someone else. I might be wrong tho :) the Mafia guys were waaay too agressive. Those are just games, relax, unc Certain org chief spotted leaving the wrong house...

THE INSIDER | 58

some egos were fighting harder than the actual beerpong game, especially from the people doing all the trash talking and still losing to two girls playing for the first time...

When I grow up, I want to be on team Perkulators the dj on the first night was too worried about getting p**** and couldn’t mix s**t, second night was much better, but still wtf…

This was the best symposium ever!

Perkulators n TikaiFani having M&A of a century only to get 4th place, ig the synergies were not so positive after all...

Edge fund people can't be the ones going out into the real world...

R.F. is the true party animal. That's my chief

certain y2 running after ex. P guy all night was hard to watch; let the girl have fun, it is not that deep

Never, ever drink with R.F. - you’ll either not wake up, or you’ll wake up with no money and a mountain of debt…

certain farmhouse member seen lying on the floor, needing serious help from his housemates. what a disaster!

it seemed like the exchange students had no problem with integrating into the sse community, maybe even a little too much

so many taken guys enjoying wet-tshirt contest in the front rows, smiling, EVEN DROOLING. so disgusting. ew.

shoutout to the people absolutely DEVOURING the dance floor

the random with Polizei shirt was acting like a real creep...who even is that??

y2 girlies playing beer pong for the first time and getting to semi finals purrrr

Year 1s have to step up their game a bit.

Most of them are so uninvolved in the committees/organizations and it is so sad. Next year people are going to be complaining about the same people having chief positions/multiple positions. But what else are the current chiefs supposed to do?

Certain y3 TA, the confidence boost from one girl looking your way has clearly hit hard… look out not to fly away with such an inflated ego

PHOTOS OF THE MONTH

THE INSIDER | 59

HOROSCOPES

THE INSIDER | 60

It’s Gemini season, so naturally you’re everywhere, with everyone, doing everything, and somehow still bored. June brings gossip, random invitations, and at least one conversation that becomes more dramatic than expected. You’re charming enough to survive it but maybe try not to create side quests just because silence feels awkward.

Your summer essential: Ticket to a 3-day festival

The upcoming month has you entering your pre-birthday emotional renaissance. You’re possibly one minor inconvenience away from becoming philosophical on a balcony at 5 am after a night out. This month asks you to stop confusing nostalgia with destiny.

Some memories are better left as lore to remember than a benchmark to live up to.

Your summer essential: Digital camera

Gemini

Cancer

June is warming up the spotlight before your season even starts, and obviously you noticed. You’re glowing, people are paying attention, and your confidence is slowly returning to its usual dangerous levels.

This month favors parties, compliments, and being seen. Just remember: not every room needs a performance, but honestly, many do. Your summer essential: J-O-B

June has you trying to be productive while everyone else is mentally already on holiday. You’re organizing, settling old debts, and silently correcting people’s bad decisions from a safe distance. This month asks you to loosen your grip a little. Not everything needs a spreadsheet, even if the spreadsheet would help. Your summer essential: Beach read

Leo

Virgo

This month is giving romance, social plans, and outfits that deserve better lighting.

You’re craving beauty, balance, and possibly a person who texts back like they have emotional intelligence. This month brings charm and opportunities, but also decisions you cannot romanticize your way out of. Looking good helps but making the right decisions helps more. Your summer essential: Tinder

June has you mysterious in sunglasses, emotionally unavailable in theory, and extremely observant in practice. You’re noticing details nobody else caught, which is powerful but also exhausting. This month asks you not to turn every vague vibe into an investigation. Sometimes people are not hiding something - sometimes they’re just boring. Your summer essential: A pair of big diva sunglasses

Libra

Scorpio

The upcoming month has you pretending to relax while mentally calculating your next five-year plan. You may be more social than usual, but the productivity guilt is still sitting in the corner like an unpaid intern.

This month reminds you that enjoyment is not a reward for suffering. Rest, have fun, and try not to optimize the sunset. Your summer essential: 1 million beers, please

June wants movement, freedom, and plans that begin with “this is probably a bad idea” and somehow become unforgettable.

You’re restless, funny, and allergic to routine. This month favors travel, adventure, and saying yes to things that make good stories. Just don’t try to create too much chaos – it tends to have consequences… Your summer essential: Performative lace fan

Capricorn

Saggitarius

June brings ideas, unexpected connections, and a strong desire to do the opposite of whatever everyone else is doing. You’re feeling original, detached, and weirdly persuasive. This month favors creativity and reinvention, but please remember to explain your thoughts before acting like everyone else is slow for not reading your mind. Your summer essential: Overpriced matcha tonic

June has you overly emotionally influenced by weather, music, and one oddly specific memory. You’re floating between reality and your own cinematic universe, but this month also brings freedom, soft moments, and just pure summer magic. Just don’t mistake every pretty coincidence for a sign from the universe (or TikTok taro card readers). Your summer essential: Checkered blanket for picnics

Aquarius

Pisces

June has you acting like summer personally invited you to be the main character. Your energy is noticeable miles away, your plans are spontaneous, and your ability to think before speaking is questionable at best.

Great month for confidence, flirting, and starting new things. Your summer essential: SPF

This month is asking you to romanticize your life, but preferably without bankrupting yourself in the process. You want comfort, beauty, good food, and zero unnecessary emotional burden. This month brings a reminder that “protecting your peace” cannot mean ignoring every message until it becomes a crisis. Your summer essential: Aperol Spritz

Aries

Taurus

THE INSIDER | 61

Romija

Iurii

Kārlis

designer

golden retriever with issues

Paula

designer

blonde men

Mr. Big

“Irreponsible” fun career path with no promise of a stable income

Patrīcija

writer

designer

writer

her name’s Harry Maguire

severe mental health issues

Elīna

Madara

writer

writer

a dj

WHAT IS YOUR hottest red flag?

Patrīcija

chief designer

writer

gives attitude unprovoked

Elīna

designer&writer

invests in eli lilly

writer

does not know my name

Aleksandra

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being nonchalant

preditors

Annija

writer

support Arsenal

he is a man

Rūta

Marta

designer

writer

writer

likes to sleep in the bushes with snails

delusional that he is nonchalant

Anete

Daniels

cover designer

chief writer

Chief

too good to be true

Amanda

Anna

Kristiāna

Zane

designer

Vampires

borderline mean sarcasm

Paulius writer

Simas

Evelina writer

Arina

designer

designer

mental illness

Paulius pupka

Margret

Marija

Timurs

designer

Invests in Chinese bonds

Beatriče designer

Toms

designer

designer

has same music taste as me

Face piercings

likes beer

designer

Her parents being rich

Feminism

Daniela

Jēkabs

designer

Ilze

writer

writer&designer

carries inexplicable sorrow

Chelsea fans Foreign accents

Gunta

Anna

Dominika

writer

uninterested

Rebeka

writer&designer

designer

designer

avoidant attachment

Sad brown eyes

Arīna

Anna

writer

writer

Kārlis

men at sse riga parties

Vlada

designer

writer

name starts with j and rhymes with one of the 50 states

performative filmbros

When he's just like me jokes nonstop

*The red flag you know you should avoid… but somehow still find charming

THE INSIDER | 63

grad u ATE